Scan barcode
jayisreading's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
3.5
I don’t think I was in the right headspace to read and appreciate Violets to its fullest, because I really struggled to get through this novel. I found the pacing a bit too slow, and the ending threw me off a little. I also couldn’t wrap my mind around a particularly sad story at the time of reading. There’s a lot of quiet grief in these pages, and I will say that while I did have some trouble reading this novel, I did appreciate the reflective nature of the novel in thinking about suppressing queer desire, feeling isolated in South Korean society, and existing on the margins, all of which is further complicated by being a woman.
On an unrelated note, hats off to Anton Hur, as always, for a phenomenal translation.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Self harm, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, and Abandonment
Minor: Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, and Blood
sakisreads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I absolutely adored ‘Please Look After Mother’, so I had high hopes for this book!
Kyung Sook-shin’s books always being translated by Anton Hur makes me feel so cosy. I loved her note at the end as well, saying how Hur had cried reading the book 🥹
This definitely was not Shin’s best book; I still have a soft spot for ‘Please Look After Mother’. But I did still enjoy it and enjoyed some of the emotions I sat with during San’s growth. Her tears and her trauma felt very intimate 😳
I would still recommend reading to anyone who’s a fan of Shin’s stories ✨ 3.5 out of 5 stars for me, thank you!
Kyung Sook-shin’s books always being translated by Anton Hur makes me feel so cosy. I loved her note at the end as well, saying how Hur had cried reading the book 🥹
This definitely was not Shin’s best book; I still have a soft spot for ‘Please Look After Mother’. But I did still enjoy it and enjoyed some of the emotions I sat with during San’s growth. Her tears and her trauma felt very intimate 😳
I would still recommend reading to anyone who’s a fan of Shin’s stories ✨ 3.5 out of 5 stars for me, thank you!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Mental illness, Violence, and Grief
helenamarijke's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This book confused be a lot. For some reason I had grand expectations. It was very slow, very top-layer while still deeply emotional. I was curious all the way through but also got a bit tired of the extreme slow burn and slice of life feel before the twist near the last part. Maybe I should've just read it in one sitting. But even though confusing and a bit tiring at times the ending (or the last third of the book after the twist) for some reason really got me. And the final scene will probably stick with me for a long time. Maybe Oh San's boring daily life was the point in the end
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Self harm
Moderate: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Abandonment
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Sexism, Blood, and Stalking
More...